Matthew Hoggard backs umpire Aleem Dar over Stuart Broad controversy

Matthew Hoggard says any further use of television replays would risk turning on-field umpires into "computer screens".

Last Updated: 13/07/13 4:41pm

The Decision Review System is back in the spotlight in the wake of Aleem Dar's failure to dismiss Stuart Broad on the third evening of the first Ashes Test.

Replays clearly showed Broad had nicked Ashton Agar to slip via wicket-keeper Brad Haddin's gloves, but the England batsman stood his ground in the knowledge Australia had used up their two allotted reviews.

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And 2005 Ashes winner Hoggard, speaking from Mansfield Hosiery Mills CC where he was promoting the England and Wales Cricket Board's Club Open Days initiative, said: "We talk about the MCC spirit of cricket, but if all batsmen walked when they edged it we wouldn't need umpires.

"You want the umpires to have the chance to be involved. Aleem Dar's a fantastic umpire - he's won umpire of the year three times. It was a blatant nick and unfortunately he made a mistake.

Split second

"It's very easy when you've got replay after replay, slow-mo, hotspot and everything else. The umpire has a split second to judge.

"It came off the keeper's gloves and was caught at slip, so whether he thought it was just a near miss that rebounded off the keeper's gloves to slip, who knows? You'll have to ask Aleem Dar."

Hoggard dismissed the suggestion obvious wrong decisions should be overturned regardless of how many reviews a side has remaining.

He said: "If you're going down that road you don't need reviews, you don't need appeals.

Reviews

"You just say 'right, we're just going to have the TV umpire whispering in the ear saying if it's out or not'. You might as well just have a computer screen as an umpire."

Hoggard also defended Broad's decision not to walk "in the heat of battle" and advised Australia to make better use of their reviews in future.

He said: "The DRS was brought in to eliminate howlers. Seeing how Australia haven't got any reviews left, it means they've used up their DRS reviews on borderline decisions.

"If you kept your reviews to eliminate howlers, you'd have a review left."